Glugs out into a tulip with a deep black appearance and a slowly forming mocha head... coats the glass with a swirl... looking really good thus far... appears thick and creamy

Very intense aromas of bittersweet chocolate, black coffee, some licorice.... this is extremely pungent... nothing subdued about this beer so far at all... the aromas practically blast out of the glass at me... smallish hints of booze here and there...

Rich, creamy and delicious.... the flavors, like the aromas, are intense and big... licorice, coffee, chocolate... all the usual suspects... done very nicely... maybe even a kiss of hops at the finish... sip after sip, this brew delivers... im very impressed...

I loved this offering from Straight to Ale.... a real sleeper here.... (825 characters)

Serving: On-tap at the Straight To Ale taproom. Served in a snifter-type glassDate: 12/15/2012

A: Beautiful. Black of night, faint hint of head, ephemeral lacing.

Smell: Coffee notes, heavy breads, faint hops aromaTaste: Complex taste, hints of coffee, dark chocolate, heavy breads,and an emerging sweetness as the beer warmed up.Mouthfeel: Faint, lingering bitterness. Good, clean mouth-feel, a bit dryOverall: An excellent beer. I'm quite impressed with the quality of the beer, which seems to be fairly standardized as I've had this on several occasions. It is good, reliable, and quite enjoyable. I will definitely seek out Laika in the future. (654 characters)

served on tap into a heavy goblet at Mellow Mushroom in southeast Huntsville, AL

A: classic look of a glass of used motor oil. Not even a hint of either a head or lacing.S: Faint amount of hops, not much elseT: some bitterness, roasted and burnt taste - begins to taste a little more sugary as the beer warms up. Didn't really taste the alcohol at any time.M: Very thick and syrupyO: Another very good beer from Straight to Ale. I'll ask for the beer again (461 characters)

Pours an inky pitch black. Which is, of course, a good thing. A finger and a half of loose but still voluminous dark tan head forms and doesn't go away quietly.

What strikes me most about Laika is how well-crafted it is. This beer is all about balance (albeit in an admittedly extreme style). There's lots of roast here, but it is held in check by sweet malts. There's some hops here (maybe not enough), but they don't take center-stage at any point. There's some dark fruits here (maybe not enough), but they're always quick to share space with the graham crackers and black bread flavors. The aroma is pretty roasty, but the flavor is so balanced. It provides pretty much every type of flavor that imperial stouts should provide.

The mouthfeel is pretty creamy but not chewy or thick in the ways that some imperial stouts are. Your mileage my vary, but I think it makes the beer quite drinkable. Overall, this is a pretty good imperial stout. Probably the best I've had from an Alabama brewery. It isn't a subtle style, but what separates Laika from, say, Good People Fatso (and there isn't much separation) is its sorta' subtle balance. (1,204 characters)

On tap at The Nook in Huntsville, AL. Laika was the name of the first animal to orbit the Earth, a Russian dog. Very fitting name considering Huntsville's space history and the Russian Imperial Stout style.

A: Dark black in color, with no visibility through the beer when held to the light. A small amount of dark brown head with little lacing.

T: Heavy and complex, I picked up flavors of roasted malts with a subtle sweetness, chocolate and coffee flavors. It had some burnt character to it, but not in an unpleasant sense. The balance of malts and hops was done well. Also had a boozy quality to it.

M: Full body and a dry finish with a slight lingering bitterness.

D: This is an intense brew; not one to take lightly. The big flavors are very enjoyable, although this is not a beer I'd drink more than one of at a time.

I updated my score for the appearance after having this in the bottle. The head was a good size with good retention and lacing. (1,031 characters)